1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to waterproof holders for electronic devices such as smart phones. More particularly, it relates to a waterproof holder that has two locks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 8,453,835 to the Kar Ming So discloses a waterproof electronic device holder that is tightly closed against water intrusion by a unique rotating lock. Said patent is hereby incorporated into this disclosure by reference and is referred to hereinafter as the incorporated patent.
The holder has a shape that conforms to the electronic device it holds such as a smart phone, i.e., it is generally rectangular and its thickness only slightly exceeds that of the device it holds. A cover of the holder frames a transparent plastic or other suitable material that closely overlies the screen of the electronic device that displays various icons so that the device can be operated by touching the icons through the material that overlies the screen.
The rotating lock cannot be rotated until a hingedly mounted locking member is lifted to allow such rotation. After that locking member is lifted, the rotatably mounted locking apparatus is rotated one hundred eighty degrees (180°) about a central pivot point to unlock the holder so that the device can be removed therefrom. The rotating lock is positioned at a first transverse end or top of the holder and the hinge that allows opening of the device is positioned at a second transverse end or bottom of the holder. Accordingly, the cover pivots about the hinge and swings away from a base of the holder so that the cover and base remain connected to one another only at the transverse hinge. When the device is returned to the holder, it overlies the base of the holder and the cover is pivoted about the transverse hinge until it overlies the base. The rotating lock is then rotated one hundred eighty degrees (180°) in a direction opposite to its unlocking direction and the hingedly mounted locking member is lowered to complete the locking procedure.
The device disclosed in the incorporated patent works well. However, the device opens and closes something like a clam shell, i.e., the cover and base are hingedly connected to one another at one end of the device. Accordingly, when the cover is swung away from the base, the longitudinally extending edges of the cover and base are separated from one another, thereby breaking the seal between them. That seal is re-established when the holder is closed and locked, but such seal can wear over time with repeated opening and closing.
An improved holder would retain the highly effective rotatable lock but would also retain the longitudinally-extending seal between the cover and base when the holder is opened in order to remove a device therefrom or to insert a device thereinto.
However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art how the improved holder could be provided.